September 14th

Weather is a mix of thick clouds and clear sky,
Runways in use for CDG and LBG are 08/26 & 09/27

About 9.00am and time to go to Colombes for the weekly laundry. Getting there is first by catching bus # 304 until the 4-Chemins (4-Lanes) stop where some fanciful buildings attracted my attention to the extent of picturing some close ups on architectural details

Stretching over a long way across the rims of Colombes, Avenue Charles DeGaulle still looks like a batterfield as work for extending tramway T2 from current terminus at La Défense to Bézons through Colombes keep going on and are due to be completed in 2011.

Pavements are also still missing their coverings, but the district's House of Culture is ready to welcome the first day's patrons

The small billboard in front of the entrance gives details on what's up until work in the vicinity is complete.

Reaching the laundrymat is made in no time.

Machine 13 starts working

Aircraft observation can begin

First to emerge from the clouds was a Swiss-made single engined turboprop powered Pilatus PC-12 heading to Le Bourget. As with others pictures of aircrafts illustrated, Andrés Contador's shot is to show how the aircraft showed up when seen in action.

Making it to base at Roissy/CDG, an Air France Boeing 777-228ER hovers on the opposite direction. In the meantime, a young congenial lady in her early 30s comes in the outlet with two quilts. A younger lady of African ancestry in her 20s came in next with a 15 gallon trolley-bag containing the family laundry of the past week. While she makes her best to stuff machines 14 and 15, my washing is over and I transfer my belongings to the dryer which gets set for a 30 minute long session. The young African Queen is quick to get some of the bag content in the machine I just cleared , yet, there is still much waiting in the trolley bag ! Upfront,

LBG vectors an HB/Switezerland-registered Beechcraft King Air 90 and a then

a King Air 200 registered in Germany.

In the meantime, the African Queen meets a friend with whom she reviews small miseries in working places while another PC-12 and

a Falcon 2000 come next to LBG.On the other hand, Roissy/CDG gets an all-white Airbus A319

and a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400F, coming up with the original shorter hump & upper deck looks to be vectored to runway 08/26 given the sharp bank on its right side and then closer position from where I stand. The laundry was soon dry and ready to be bagged. This done, I started walking back to base.

I noticed this recently built appartment building. The satelitte dishes vectored in the same direction give a clue that many residents keep up strong connections with North Africa, as they allow getting the TV broadcasts from across the Mediterranean Sea. The 8.00PM/20.00 news broadcast of the Algerian TV channels are among the most widely watched programs.

While walking towards 4-lanes' plazza, the small but shinning die cast statue of this gated appartment complex attracted by attention.

Back at base to store my clean laundry in the armoiry, I am now waiting for my first-ever appointment with a psychologist due for 11.30am. I am rather surprised by her questions which sound more doctor like. A congenial woman in her 40s, she then accepts answering some questions coming to mind. For instance, becoming a psycho requires a 5 year long proper course at the faculty, she travelled to Senegal, Benin and North Africa among others, next to passing her exams, she mostly worked with state-owned practices and non-profit social focused societies. She offers me to see her again whenever I wish. I answer back with a yes-maybe and pay tribute to her choice in picking up her today's assignment. I elaborated that given my temper, I would have required time to do a fact-finding tour on location and then issued a clear No.

Lunch time comes fast and while walking to the dinning-hall,

I notice a Canadian built Bombardier BD-700 Global Challenger flying overhead to LBG. There it will mingle its wings with arch rivals such as the Dassault Falcon 900 and 7X and the Gulfstream Vs, all coming with hight speed and extended overwater operational range .

Afternoon starts by observing a BAE/British Aerospace HS-125 (or a Raytheon Hawker 800 as the aircraft was rebranded when Beechcraft's parent company Raytheon purshased the product from the British aircraft manufacturer)

another Falcon 2000 which lowers its wheels and a classic Cessna 550 Citation II, which is referred as the "Slow-tation" alongwith the C-500, by some sharp-tongued professionnals.

Thank you for reading and keeping in the story. Till the next